Las Palmas

Holidays in Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, feature a bustling city, beautiful beaches, excellent shopping and lively nightlife. Visitors to Las Palmas can spend the day on the sandy beaches of Playa de las Canteras or Playa de las Alcaravaneres, which stretches over one kilometre. Keen shoppers can explore the small shops with local handicrafts and souvenirs or head to the department stores for duty-free goods. The modern architectural marvel of the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus boasts 10 concert halls.

Las Palmas architecture
15th-century Las Palmas is bursting with original architecture, such as the gothic and neoclassical-style cathedral. Holidays in Las Palmas are not complete without a visit to the picturesque area of Barrio de la Vegueta, with its manor houses and colonial-style architecture, the House of Columbus, (La Casa de Colon), the Canarian Museum, which documents the life of the island's original inhabitants, and the Pueblo Canario, which represents traditional Canarian architecture and is set in the picturesque gardens of Doramas Park.

Sightseeing in Las Palmas
Also worth a visit is the Museum of Arts, the Bestor Museum and the Museum Perez Galdos. Those wishing to explore a little further a field can head five miles, (eight kilometres) out of town to the Jardin Canario, with its 500 species of plants. Holidays in Las Palmas include lively evenings drinking cocktails in the wealth of bars, dining in a wide choice of restaurants, which serve both Canarian specialities and international favourites, and dancing in to the early hours in the discos and nightclubs. Puerto de la Luz, the harbour area, is particularly popular for its alfresco dining and clubs.